Leutnant Franz Gräser (1892-1918) was an Austro-Hungarian

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

credited with 18 aerial victories. Initially commander of a machine gun unit, he transferred to aviation as an observer. Remarkably, he learned to fly without going through aviation training. Coached by a friendly pilot, he became a fighter pilot without a pilot's license. He would be credited with 18 victories before dying in a flaming shootdown.

Biography

Gräser was a technical university student in

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

until World War I broke out. In October 1914, he enlisted in Infanterieregiment No. 72, graduated reserve officer school in mid-July 1915, and began World War I as the commander of a machine gun unit on the Russian Front. After being wounded, he transferred to K.u.K, the Austro-Hungarian air service. He was commissioned as an officer and assigned to observer duties in the rear seat of a reconnaissance aircraft in Flik 2. His skill with machine guns helped him to his first two victories, from the rear seat, on 10 February and 20 May 1917. Like many observers, Gräser made the transition to becoming a pilot. Unlike just about anyone else, he did so without formal training. The

feldwebel ''Feldwebel '' (Fw or F, ) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in several countries. The rank originated in Germany, and is also used in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. The rank has also been used in Russia, Austria-Hungary, occupi ...

pilot who coached him thought he was a natural, but he never received any official training. Without ever being licensed as a pilot, Gräser began flying an

Albatros D.III The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service ('' Luftstreitkräfte'') during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service ( ''Luftfahrtruppen''). ...

fighter for Flik 42J beginning in September 1917. His personal insignia of an owl on his plane was based in Baltic culture; an owl was considered a sign of death. By the end of 1917, his score stood at 11, with number 11 being claimed on 5 December 1917. He resumed his victory roll on 26 January 1918 with Flik 61J. By the 23rd of March, he had run his total of wins up to 18 confirmed and one unconfirmed. Most of his victories were over Italian pilots, and his range of victims was wide; seaplanes, fighters, recon two-seaters, and balloons all fell before his guns. On 17 May 1918, Gräser flew an escort mission, and was shot down in flames by several Italian aces, including Guido Nardini,

Francesco Baracca Count Francesco Baracca (9 May 1888 – 19 June 1918) was Italy's top fighter ace of World War I. He was credited with 34 aerial victories. The emblem he wore side by side on his plane of a black horse prancing on its two rear hooves ins ...

Antonio Chiri '' Sergente Maggiore'' Antonio Chiri was a World War I flying ace credited with six confirmed and seven unconfirmed aerial victories. Biography Antonio Chiri was born in Locana, the Kingdom of Italy on 26 August 1894.Franks et al 1997, p. 135. O ...

, Cesare Magistrini, and Gastone Novelli.

Sources of information

(According to Osprey Aircraft Aces No. 89, Italian Aces WWI, F. Baracca and A. Chiri did not engage and were not involved in this aerial encounter on May 17, 1918)

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Graser, Franz 1892 births 1918 deaths Austro-Hungarian World War I flying aces Austro-Hungarian military personnel killed in World War I

Biography

Sources of information

See also

References